Starbucks

The Middle East does have Starbucks... but they don't have any of the good drinks, and the pastries are never any good, and we have to sit in the womens' section. But at least they have fun mugs to collect (this is my roommate's collection, I have yet to start one).

25 days to go!

Laundry

I'm a day late on this one... busy Riyadh weekend full of "laundry".

Currency Kleptomania

I can't stop myself!

27 days to go!

All a flutter

Only 28 days to go!

Lonely Planet

As if living in the middle east weren't adventure enough, this year has generously provided me with the amazing opportunity to travel! This year, in which I visited more than a dozen exciting places, has soothed my wandering spirit (at least for a few months:)

Some of the highlights of my travels around the globe included rescuing a baby sea turtle in Oman, hiking in the Himalayas in Nepal, learning to scuba dive in Sri Lanka and ringing in the New Year in style in Dubai. I'll be sure to write more about my adventures later.

Leaving in 29 days!

Running

As it turns out, there isn't much to do in Riyadh except take up running - but only in the ladies only gym! It is certain that the world would end if some willful woman tried to run down the streets of Riyadh.

I am training to run a 5k race the week I get back to North America - if there are any actual runners reading this, please don't mock; some of us mortals do actually have to train to run 5k!

30 days to go!

Final Countdown

I can't believe it has been almost a year since I left Canada! Actually it is has been more than a year if you go by the Hijra calendar, which they do here in Saudi Arabia. And so, it is time for me to move on to my next adventure! I do plan to chronicle my time in the Sandbox once I am safely aware from internet censorship so stay tuned... but in the meantime, enjoy my photo countdown to the day I leave (I'm off by a couple days because I am posting this late, but I'll catch up).

31 days until I'm leaving on a jet plane!